Running Head: Module 5: Business Plan

Module 5: Business Plan for the Virtuosos

Caitlin Leffingwell
Eastern University

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Executive Summary
In January 2012, a soft-spoken college senior followed a series of unforeseen events to
begin teaching violin for an after-school program at the lowest performing school in Hartford,
Connecticut. Although unsure what to expect from a situation laced with seemingly
insurmountable challenges, she soon discovered that the program brought about transformation
that proved nothing short of inspirational. Formerly timid students found the confidence to lead
younger students during large performances. Middle-school kids known for problematic conduct
behaved impeccably for the sake of seeing admired violinists in concert. Teens who once thought
only of themselves blessed nursing home residents with their music. And this young violin
instructornow equally transformedfound herself launching an arts-based nonprofit
organization called the Virtuosos. Motivated solely by the desire to see such transformation
expand into the community through higher quality programming and more intentional
community engagement, this organization now offers a full-day strings program to dozens of
students at the Milner Community School in one of Hartfords North End neighborhoods. Guided
by a small board of directors and the upcoming incorporation of student leadership, it seeks to
help creatively reclaim hope for economic renewal in this area through violin instruction and the
countless related skills that accompany it.
Mission Statement
Since a sharp economic downfall in the mid-20th century, the North End of Hartford has
been seen in a negative light by both outsiders and insiders alike. Outsiders harp on gang
violence and drug activity, while insiders speak out against inadequate schools, inaccessible
resources, and inescapable poverty. Moreover, many of the attempts to revitalize this area have
also been poisoned by corruption and greed, which only contribute to a growing collection of
false promises rather than economic revival. Yet a deeper look reveals that these neighborhoods
are also characterized by numerous assets and an unquenchable hopeboth of which shine with

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special clarity in the countless stories of students thriving in arts programs here. As such, our
mission as the Virtuosos is to cultivate a sense of personal and community value in the North
End of Hartford through music instruction and performance, such that our students can lead the
revival of their community by developing and sharing their existing strengths through music.
Vision Statement
As the driving force behind this mission, we envision the North End of Hartford as a
place known by both visitors and community members for its strong families, cultural vibrancy,
and valuable resources. We eagerly seek the day when current negative views about this area
have been replaced with the beautiful image of a healthy community that uses its own assets to
sustain creative economic growth. As seen vividly in the images below, this transformation is
what drives our efforts to help students see their own value and thereby contribute to the value of
their community in a way that improves it for outsiders and insiders alike.

My Community as It Was

My Community as It Will Be

Description of Organization
With a mission and vision that center on social restoration, the Virtuosos operates as a
nonprofit organization that dedicates its revenue entirely to furthering social justice in this
community rather than producing profit for its employees or owners. Although paradoxically
founded by an Urban Studies major from the suburbs with a passion for violin and serving at-risk
youth, it operates through a board of directors comprised entirely of community stakeholders and

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aims to shift leadership to former Milner students within the next five years. Such diverse, yet
shared, leadership helps the organization to benefit the community with as much integrity as
possible as it seeks to provide quality products and services.
Description of Products and Services
In its quest to serve the North End community, the Virtuosos primarily offers Suzukibased violin instruction to 2nd-8th grade students at the Milner Community School. Such
instruction takes the form of both semi-private lessons during the school day and group classes
after schoolall of which utilize a trauma-informed and arts-integrated curriculum that very
intentionally builds awareness of both personal and community value. Approximately four
performances occur throughout the school year, and students enrolled in summer school or
summer activities can continue their musical instruction year-round with an additional
performance as well. These concerts include school showcases and service trips to places within
the community, such as nursing homes, farmers markets, and homeless shelters. Most students
can only bring their instruments home in preparation for such events, but the schools community
partner, Catholic Charities, does provide loaner violins to the organization free of charge through
grants and donations.
Through this music instruction, the Virtuosos provides students not only with better violin
technique and musical appreciation but also with stronger character and more life skills as well.
Learning to play this difficult instrument develops high levels of self-control, teamwork,
communication, and respect that can ultimately help students become creative, confident, and
compassionate leaders who value themselves and those around them. Such growth also impacts
social and academic skills as well, such that violin instruction is linked to greater resilience and
higher reading, writing, and math scores. Through diligent monitoring and evaluation, this

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organization seeks to offer these services and all of their related benefits as effectively and
efficiently as possible for the benefit of these students and their community as a whole.
S.W.O.T. Analysis
Strengths: One of the greatest strengths for the Virtuosos to capitalize on is its
longstanding commitment to the Milner community. Its founder and program coordinator, Caitlin
Leffingwell, has been working at the school for longer than almost every other staff member
thereincluding administration, after-school staff, teachers, and even custodiansdue to
constant turnover, and many families have therefore adopted her as an honorary insider despite
vast cultural differences. This trusting relationship is relatively rare in an environment where
many revitalization efforts initially stir up feelings of wary skepticism, and it should be utilized
with utmost integrity for the sake of authentically serving this community. Similarly, the board of
directors is comprised of diverse community members with strong connections to the school and
its surrounding neighborhoods, such that their insights and experiences are truly an asset that can
help this organization address community issues as effectively as possible.
Weaknesses: In addition to capitalizing on these strengths, the Virtuosos also must shore
up its internal weaknesses for the sake of bringing its vision to fruition (Olsen, 2008). These
weaknesses begin with the fact that its program coordinator lacks a degree in either music or
education, which limits her work within the school system. Although able to navigate creatively
around this shortcoming to a certain extent, it presents numerous roadblocks that would not
otherwise exist. This program is also her first attempt at starting a nonprofit organization, which
statistically limits its chance of success unless such inexperience can be combatted with
abundant external support and providential assistance.
Opportunities: The fact that the North End already has a burgeoning community of artsbased opportunities for youth is one of the foremost external opportunities that the Virtuosos
would do well to capitalize on. These stakeholders could be like brothers and sisters to this

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young program and include especially The Artists Collective and The Gifted Onez Dance
Company. Moreover, the fact that Milner is currently a top-priority turnaround school means that
the district is willing to pour relatively large amounts of funding into programs that could
contribute to the desired results. The current principal also supports the arts wholeheartedly and
has proven to be a valuable partner in this initiative as well. These opportunities combine to
create ripe timing for this organization to play a unique role in these group revitalization efforts.
Threats: Perhaps the greatest external threat to this organization is the pervasively
negative view of the North End. So many efforts to improve the area have fallen short or fallen
apart due to corruption that very little faith remains for those who feel trapped in a continually
declining community. This despondency overshadows every effort to create positive change, and
the Virtuosos leaders have certainly experienced countless days of discouragement. Constant
budget cuts for arts programs also dampen excitement and hinder progress, while fundraising
efforts continually require increasing amounts of creativity. Yet identifying these threats is the
first step to contending with them, and the hopeful persistence of a relentless staff lends a
powerful hope that will bring itself to fruition as we continue toward our goals.
Managerial Structure
Due to its identity as a nonprofit organization, the Virtuosos currently operates under a
managerial structure comprised of the program coordinator (its founder and lead instructor) and a
small board of directors. These directors have slightly different roles but work together to hold
members of the organization accountable to community stakeholders. In the fall of 2015, this
core leadership team will introduce an official student leadership component into its management
structure as well, in order to begin the process of ultimately transitioning leadership to former
students from the Milner community. As such, this business plan will elaborate on the roles of
Program Coordinator, Chairperson, and this emerging Student President position.

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Program Coordinator: Currently held by the woman who founded the Virtuosos in
2012, the program coordinator position is responsible for daily program operations. Guided by
regular meetings with the board of directors, she seeks to reflect the organizations mission and
vision as accurately as possible by designing and implementing relevant curriculum, obtaining
necessary supplies, coordinating performances and trips, recruiting students, and fostering
community engagement. Although multiple people will ideally split this multifaceted work in
upcoming years, the current program coordinator is assisted in these tasks by members of the
board and a whole troop of faithful volunteers. In many ways, she is the face of the program
and the primary on the ground staff member.
Chairperson: Though working alongside the Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary,
this lead role in the board of directors is the primary liaison between the Virtuosos and its
communitylearning and advocating for community needs in every possible way. He or she is
responsible for organizing and running meetings held by leaders and stakeholders of the
organization, which requires upstanding character, excellent communication skills, and a strong
relationship with both the community and Virtuosos staff. As such, the chairperson must be
uncompromising in seeking the best for community members, which will help this organization
stay accountable to serving stakeholders as effectively as possible.
Student President: Although this position has yet to be officially created, its main
purpose will be to increase student engagement by providing an advocate for students in the
Virtuosos program. This upper classman will be responsible for voicing the ideas and concerns of
his or her peers to the program coordinator and board of directors, which means that he or she
will attend all formal meetings and work closely with the program coordinator in updating
program design. This role may eventually include some responsibility for instruction and

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classroom management as well, which will not only enhance student engagement overall but also
pave the way for more extensive student leadership in the future.
Financial Projections
In this upcoming school year, the Virtuosos expects the majority of its income to come
through a grant from the Hartford Foundation, small subsidies from the Greater Hartford Arts
Council, and an assortment of in-kind donations that include volunteer hours, lesson and
performance space, gently used instruments and supplies, and concert tickets. The Hartford
Foundation grant revolves around the proven correlation between higher academic performance
and music instruction, such that we must continually monitor the progress that our students make
on test scores in conjunction with their musical training. This correlation is difficult to decipher
in short periods of time, but the last few years of loving labor with subgroups of students are
finally beginning to show incredible fruit, such that we expect this grant to continue for at least
two years. On the other hand, the small subsidies offered by the Greater Hartford Arts Council
only last for 6-month terms and are rarely offered to the same organization for more than two
subsequent terms; as such, we are already seeking ways of replacing this source of income with
more internal, sustainable fundraising methods. As perhaps our most consistent form of support,
in-kind donations will most likely continue indefinitely as long as our connections with the
community remain healthy and viable. The stunning generosity of the arts community in
Hartford is truly a blessing for the Virtuosos, and we hope to continue fostering these important
relationships with our volunteers, instrument donors, and performance outlets for a very long
time.

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References
Ahn, R. (2013) The productive artist's business plan: How to create the business and life you
want as a creative entrepreneur. Kindle Edition.
Olsen, E. (July 28, 2008). SWOT Analysis: How to perform one for your organization. Virtual
Strategist. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNXYI10Po6A